The present invention relates to the field of heavy duty vehicle data communications and, more particularly, to data communications from a heavy duty vehicle, such as a tractor or a trailer of a truck, to a remote location.
Over the years, the heavy duty vehicle industry has used tractor and trailer combinations to transport cargo over the roadways to various desired destinations. The tractors and trailer are conventionally mechanically coupled together so that the tractor efficiently and effectively pulls the trailer. Often, one or more additional trailer are also mechanically coupled to another trailer so that only one tractor pulls a plurality of trailers.
Various links between the tractor and the trailer provide vehicle subsystems, e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical, with power and/or control signals to operate effectively. These subsystem have associated electrical conductors, pneumatic lines, or hydraulic lines extending between the tractor and trailer(s) so that these subsystems can effectively operate.
Data communications between a tractor and trailer for these subsystems also has been developed. An example of this data communications can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,352 by Jasper titled xe2x80x9cCommunications And Control System For Tractor/Trailer And Associated Methodxe2x80x9d which is assigned to the common assignee of the present application. As described in this patent, the use of the Society of Automotive Engineering (xe2x80x9cSAExe2x80x9d) standard J1708 titled xe2x80x9cSerial Data Communications Between Microcomputer Systems In Heavy Duty Vehicle .Applicationsxe2x80x9d and SAE standard J1939 are also known for data communications in the heavy duty vehicle environment.
Only recently, however, has the heavy duty vehicle industries begun to use sophisticated electrical electronic subsystems in and associated with these vehicles to perform varied task that usually involve data manipulation and transmission. Previously, computers, controllers, and computer-type electrical systems were simply not found in these vehicles, such as the tractor and trailer combinations or recreational vehicles, in a significant manner. Much of this previous slow or lack of development and advances could be attributed, for example, to the lack of governmental or other authoritative initiatives which would have otherwise required systems to be installed on these heavy duty vehicles to include sophisticated electronics and data communications.
Although only recently have advances been made with data communications in the heavy duty vehicle industries, many of the advances require extensive retrofitting or extensive additions to the heavy duty vehicle. Accordingly, many vehicle owners have been hesitant to adopt and purchase sophisticated electronics and data communications because of the expense and uncertainty with the advances in the technology. Yet, having the capability to monitor and communicate with the various electronic subsystems of a heavy duty vehicle such as a tractor-trailer truck or recreational vehicle can be beneficial to the driver, the owner, governmental officials or agencies, and others having an interest in the heavy duty vehicle industries.
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention advantageously provides an apparatus and methods of data communication between a heavy duty vehicle and a remote data communication terminal so that various operating characteristics of the vehicle can be monitor or observed. The present invention also advantageously provides an apparatus and methods of data communication for discretely and compactly communicating data between a heavy duty vehicle and a remote data communication terminal. The present invention additionally provides an apparatus and method of data communication which is readily adapted to existing heavy duty vehicle data communication technology and does not require either extensive retrofitting or extensive and expensive additions to existing heavy duty vehicle data communication technology. The present invention further advantageously provides an apparatus and methods of data communication so that when the apparatus is mounted to a heavy duty vehicle a third party would not readily recognize that the heavy duty vehicle is equipped for data communications from the vehicle to a remote data communications terminal.
More particularly, a combination of a heavy duty vehicle and a data communication apparatus are provided according to the present invention. The heavy duty vehicle is preferably a tractor and a trailer connected to the tractor. The tractor preferably includes a cab. The data communications apparatus is preferably connected to the tractor and the trailer for communicating data to and from the tractor and the trailer to a remote data terminal. The data communications apparatus preferably includes a plurality of electrical conductors associated with and extending between the tractor and the trailer. A connector is connected in series with the plurality of electrical conductors and positioned in the cab of the tractor. The apparatus also includes vehicle data communications protocol converting means connected to the plurality of electrical conductors for converting a first data communications protocol used to communicate data along the plurality of electrical conductors to a second data communications protocol. For example, the second data communications protocol is preferably one of either an infrared data communications protocol or a radio frequency (xe2x80x9cRFxe2x80x9d) data communications protocol. A first transceiver is associated with the connector and is connected to the vehicle data communications protocol converting means for transmitting and receiving the second data communications protocol. A remote data communication terminal which preferably includes a second transceiver for transmitting the second data communications protocol to the first transceiver and receiving the data communications protocol from the first transceiver.
Also, according to another aspect of the present invention, the data communication apparatus preferably includes a plurality of electrical conductors associated with a heavy duty vehicle. Vehicle data communications protocol converting means is preferably connected to the plurality of electrical conductors for converting a first data communications protocol associated with data communications along the plurality of electrical conductors to a second data communications protocol. The apparatus also preferably includes a transceiver connected to the vehicle data communications protocol converter for transmitting the data communications protocol from the heavy duty vehicle and receiving the data communications protocol from a remote data communications terminal.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for data communications associated with a heavy duty vehicle preferably includes a transceiver housing adapted to be detachably connected to a connector mounted to a heavy duty vehicle. The connector is connected to a plurality of electrical conductors associated with the heavy duty vehicle. Vehicle data communications protocol converting means is preferably positioned in the transceiver housing for converting a first data communications protocol associated with data communications along the plurality of electrical conductors to a second data communications protocol. The apparatus also has a transceiver positioned within the transceiver housing and connected to the vehicle data communications protocol converting means for transmitting the second data communications protocol from the heavy duty vehicle and receiving the data communications protocol from a remote data communications terminal.
Still another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for data communications associated with a heavy duty vehicle preferably includes a transceiver housing mounted to a heavy duty vehicle. The transceiver housing is preferably a vehicle light housing such as a side light marker housing. Vehicle data communications protocol converting means is preferably positioned in the transceiver housing for converting a first data communications protocol associated with data communications along the plurality of electrical conductors to a second data communications protocol. A transceiver is preferably positioned within the transceiver housing and is connected to the vehicle data communications protocol converting means for transmitting the second data communications protocol from the heavy duty vehicle and receiving the data communications protocol from a remote data communications terminal.
A method of data communications associated with a heavy duty vehicle is also provided according to the present invention. The method preferably includes providing a plurality of electrical conductors associated with a heavy duty vehicle and converting a first data communications protocol associated with data communications along the plurality of conductors to a second data communications protocol. The second data communications protocol is preferably one of either an infrared data communications protocol or a radio frequency (xe2x80x9cRFxe2x80x9d) data communications protocol. The method also includes transmitting the data communications protocol from the heavy duty vehicle to a remote data communications terminal.